Whole-Process Project Cost Management Based on Building Information Modeling (BIM)

The whole-process project cost management based on building information modeling(BIM)is a new management method,aiming to realize the comprehensive optimization and improvement of project cost management through the application of BIM technology.This paper summarizes and analyzes the whole-process project cost management based on BIM,aiming to explore its application and development prospects in the construction industry.Firstly,this paper introduces the role and advantages of BIM technology in engineering cost management,including information integration,data sharing,and collaborative work.Secondly,the paper analyzes the key technologies and methods of the whole-process project cost management based on BIM,including model construction,data management,and cost control.In addition,the paper also discusses the challenges and limitations of the whole-process BIM project cost management,such as the inconsistency of technical standards,personnel training,and consciousness change.Finally,the paper summarizes the advantages and development prospects of the whole-process project cost management based on BIM and puts forward the direction and suggestions for future research.Through the research of this paper,it can provide a reference for construction cost management and promote innovation and development in the construction industry.

A Building Information Modeling-Life Cycle Cost Analysis Integrated Model to Enhance Decisions Related to the Selection of Construction Methods at the Conceptual Design Stage of Buildings

Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) provides a systematic approach to assess the total cost associated with owning, operating, and maintaining assets throughout their entire life. BIM empowers architects and designers to perform real-time evaluations to explore various design options. However, when integrated with LCCA, BIM provides a comprehensive economic perspective that helps stakeholders understand the long-term financial implications of design decisions. This study presents a methodology for developing a model that seamlessly integrates BIM and LCCA during the conceptual design stage of buildings. This integration allows for a comprehensive evaluation and analysis of the design process, ensuring that the development aligns with the principles of low carbon emissions by employing modular construction, 3D concrete printing methods, and different building design alternatives. The model considers the initial construction costs in addition to all the long-term operational, maintenance, and salvage values. It combines various tools and data through different modules, including energy analysis, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), and Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) to execute a comprehensive assessment of the financial implications of a specific design option throughout the lifecycle of building projects. The development of the said model and its implementation involves the creation of a new plug-in for the BIM tool (i.e., Autodesk Revit) to enhance its functionalities and capabilities in forecasting the life-cycle costs of buildings in addition to generating associated cash flows, creating scenarios, and sensitivity analyses in an automatic manner. This model empowers designers to evaluate and justify their initial investments while designing and selecting potential construction methods for buildings, and enabling stakeholders to make informed decisions by assessing different design alternatives based on long-term financial considerations during the early stages of design.

Development of a building information model-guided post-earthquake building inspection framework using 3D synthetic environments

Computer vision-based inspection methods show promise for automating post-earthquake building inspections.These methods survey a building with unmanned aerial vehicles and automatically detect damage in the collected images.Nevertheless,assessing the damage′s impact on structural safety requires localizing damage to specific building components with known design and function.This paper proposes a BIM-based automated inspection framework to provide context for visual surveys.A deep learning-based semantic segmentation algorithm is trained to automatically identify damage in images.The BIM automatically associates any identified damage with specific building components.Then,components are classified into damage states consistent with component fragility models for integration with a structural analysis.To demonstrate the framework,methods are developed to photorealistically simulate severe structural damage in a synthetic computer graphics environment.A graphics model of a real building in Urbana,Illinois,is generated to test the framework;the model is integrated with a structural analysis to apply earthquake damage in a physically realistic manner.A simulated UAV survey is flown of the graphics model and the framework is applied.The method achieves high accuracy in assigning damage states to visible structural components.This assignment enables integration with a performance-based earthquake assessment to classify building safety.

Building Information Modeling-Based Secondary Development System for 3D Modeling of Underground Pipelines

Underground pipeline networks constitute a major component of urban infrastructure,and thus,it is imperative to have an efficient mechanism to manage them.This study introduces a secondary development system to efficiently model underground pipeline networks,using the building information modeling(BIM)-based software Revit.The system comprises separate pipe point and tubulation models.Using a Revit application programming interface(API),the spatial position and attribute data of the pipe points are extracted from a pipeline database,and the corresponding tubulation data are extracted from a tubulation database.Using the Family class in Revit API,the cluster in the self-built library of pipe point is inserted into the spatial location and the attribute data is added;in the same way,all pipeline instances in the pipeline system are created.The extension and localization of the model accelerated the modeling speed.The system was then used in a real construction project.The expansion of the model database and rapid modeling made the application of BIM technology in three-dimensional visualization of underground pipeline networks more convenient.Furthermore,it has applications in pipeline engineering construction and management.

Influence of Building Information Modelling (BIM) on Engineering Contract Management in Nairobi, Kenya

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a technology and a process that has brought changes in the construction’s traditional procurement system. Kenya lacks contractual guidelines on implementation of BIM;this makes the adoption of BIM slow and difficult. Previous research has identified a gap in contractual relationships, roles and resulting risks. The objectives of this study were to investigate BIM adoption in Nairobi and to investigate the influence of BIM on Engineering Contract Management (ECM) in Nairobi Kenya. The survey research was a descriptive study with 175 responsive questionnaires. Respondents comprised of Civil Engineers, Construction Project Managers, Architects, Quantity Surveyors, Contractors and Facility Managers. Data was collected through self-administered questionnaire and in-depth interview. Descriptive analytics, correlation and Exploratory factor analysis methods were used to analyse quantitative data. Qualitative data was analysed thematically. It emerged that adoption level was at 56.6% and shallow understanding of BIM capabilities remains to be a barrier to its adoption and implementation. It also emerged that BIM improves ECM;when time, cost, quality, collaboration and return on investment improve, ECM becomes easier. Latent factors found in BIM and ECM relationship were Legal Implications, awareness and knowledge, efficiency, versatility, mandate and leadership, and competitiveness. Further, the study found out that BIM influence on ECM demands for establishment of standards, guidelines, policy, legal framework, and regulations, which can be achieved by amending the public procurement act which dictates the operation of all the other standard forms of contract. Further research should be conducted to measure whether the understanding of BIM had positively improved.

Augmented Reality Applied to Building Assessment with Building Information Model Visualization

AR （augmented reality） is a technology that adds information to the real world adding virtual elements to its visualization in real time. AR used in AECO （architectural, engineering, construction and operations） can contribute in augmenting visualization during design, construction and operation of the buildings. This article presents a study that applies AR to building assessment with BIM （building information） model visualization. The use of AR on existing applications for smart phones and tablets is validated. AR proposed an adaptation of the method of POE （post-occupancy evaluation） subsidized. Traditional POE process model involves three phases： planning, conducting and applying. In order to incorporate AR, it is proposed a total restructuring of the planning phase, developing the research instruments in three steps： 3D modeling, model treatment and AR application development. It was observed that for POE studies, the 3D models are in large scale and need to be detailed for precise comparison. BIM models for facility management, representing building use situation, are of the highest level of detail. A balanced point between simplicity and representativeness was the solution adopted in this experiment for uploading and downloading performance issues. This article presents and discusses findings for the new proposition for the activity of research instruments development for the planning phase of POE with AR as well as initial tests with first results and difficulties faced.

The Contributions of Building Information Modelling to Sustainable Construction

Global concerns toward environmental issues have induced growing demand for new approaches in the construction because of its considerable impact on the environment and use of natural resources. Through using construction sustainability tools, methods and techniques, a greener design can be applied during various building phases. In this connection, it is argued that the analytical and integrated models applied by Building Information Modelling (BIM) may also facilitate this process to be performed more efficiently. BIM and construction sustainability are quite different initiatives, but both have received much attention in recent years in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry. A rigorous analysis of the interactions between them implies that a synergy exists which, if properly it is understood that can be helpful to reduce the environmental impacts of the AEC industry. A BIM-based design model can contribute to sustainability through its three main dimensions which are environmental, economic and social. In this paper, by reviewing the existing literature on BIM and construction sustainability and using a matrix to analyze construction sustainability dimensions and BIM functionalities a number of interactions have been discussed. It can be concluded that despite there are many improvements in implementation of BIM in environmental and economic aspects of sustainability, its potential impact on social dimension has not been explicitly explored hence further studies need to be undertaken in this area.

Integrating Universal Design Standards and Building Information Modeling at the Conceptual Design Stage of Buildings

A projection of the Canadian population shows that in 2024 one in five Canadians will be over 65 years old. This shift forces designers to consider the entire lifetime of occupants during the design of new buildings. Universal Design (UD), which is a design that accommodates all people to the greatest extent possible and aging in place design that is deeply rooted in the principles of UD, aim to house people irrespective of their age, ability, and chronic health conditions. Building Information Modeling (BIM) significantly helps advance the development of the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry in a more collaborative and automated way. Integrating BIM and UD allows designers to incorporate UD standards easily and efficiently at the conceptual design stage of buildings by using the functionalities and capabilities of BIM tools. Therefore, this study presents the development of an automated computer model to facilitate the adoption of UD standards and processes. The novelty highlighted in this model resides in the creation of an automated method that employs a newly created plug-in and databases to assist designers to incorporate UD standards at the conceptual stage in a timely and cost-effective manner. Furthermore, the study introduces the methodology consisting of collecting, categorizing, and storing data from various universal design and accessible design guidelines in the developed databases and developing new plug-ins in BIM tool to link the developed databases in order to automate the process of retrieving necessary information and components to help designers and owners select optimal design alternatives based on their predefined criteria.

Development Trend of Water Supply and Drainage Engineering Based on Life Cycle Assessment and Building Information Model

With the rapid development of construction engineering and municipal engineering in recent years, water supply and drainage technology has gradually matured. Building water supply and drainage design contains the design of rainwater drainage, sewage drainage design, water supply design and fire water supply design. At present, the research on the life cycle assessment of urban drainage system is mainly focused on the sewage treatment plant, therefore in this paper we introduce the theoretical basis of life cycle assessment. In the era of information network, building information model（BIM） technology is widely applied to the design of building water supply and drainage, which and effectively improves the design effi ciency, and makes up for the traditional water supply and drainage design of a lot of problems. In this paper, we analyze the development trend of water supply and drainage engineering based on life cycle assessment and building information model.

Building Information Modeling for Environmental Impact Assessment in Early Design Phases: A Literature Review

The building sector is the largest consumer of energy in industrial countries. Saving energy in new buildings or building renovations can thus lead to significant global environmental impacts. In this endeavor, building information modeling (BIM) and building energy modeling (BEM) are two important tools to make the transition to net-zero energy buildings (NZEB). So far, little attention has been devoted, in the literature, to discuss the connection between BIM, BEM, and Life-cycle assessment (LCA), which is the main topic of this article. A literature review of 157 journal articles and conference proceedings published between 1990 and 2020 is presented. This review outlines knowledge gaps concerning BIM, BEM, and environmental impact assessment. It suggests that defining the process with the right technology (at the right time) would result in a more integrated design process (IDP) and bridge current gaps. The most efficient way to improve process and technology is related to the competences of the architects, engineers and constructors (AEC). The review also indicates that the IDP in the early design phases (EDP) is in need of improvement for architects and engineers, where a better connection between design phases, specific levels of development (LOD) and BIM tools is needed. Competences, process and technology are the three main themes addressed in the review. Their relation to design phases and LOD is discussed. The aim is to propose possible solutions to the current hinders in BIM-to-BEM (BIM2BEM) and BIM-for-LCA (BIM4LCA) integration.

Analysis of Thermal Behavior of Materials in the Building Envelope Using Building Information Modeling (BIM)—A Case Study Approach

Building envelope is a fence that controls heat exchange between interior and exterior and plays an essential role in providing thermal comfort conditions of residents. In recent years, due to the necessity of conserving energy and also preventing increased environmental pollution, the importance of sustainable construction has been doubled. Checking the problems of thermal behavior of the building envelope materials, and what influences in the heating and cooling loads exerted and energy consumption of buildings, are the questions that this research seeks to answer. In this regard, building information modelling analysis (BIM) has worthy contribution in the completion process of sustainable design;thus using software Design Builder, it is paid attention to simulation of the thermal behavior of two types of defined materials for the building envelope that was designed as a Research Institute of Renewable Energy of Yazd University. For Type 1 materials, two layers of brick have been selected, and for Type 2 a thermal insulation layer also added it. Results of the analysis showed that the use of materials Type 2 in the cooling load %4.8 and in the thermal load %62.5 reduction can be achieved which means reducing the load on active system and thus reducing the initial cost of building. Also reduction in annual energy consumption by almost %2.4 for cooling and %62.9 for heating buildings have been achieved, which makes saving non-renewable energy consumption, and consequently reducing environmental pollution as well as reducing current costs will be established.

Real-time assessment of tunnelling-induced damage to structures within the building information modelling framework

During the initial design phases of complex multi-disciplinary systems such as urban tunnelling,the appraisal of different design alternatives can ensure optimal designs in terms of costs,construction time,and safety.To enable the evaluation of a large number of design scenarios and to find an optimal solution that minimises impact of tunnelling on existing structures,the design and assessment process must be efficient,yet provide a holistic view of soil-structure interaction effects.This paper proposes an integrated tunnel design tool for the initial design phases to predict the ground settlements induced by tunnelling and building damage using empirical and analytical solutions as well as simulation-based meta models.Furthermore,visualisation of ground settlements and building damage risk is enabled by integrating empirical and analytical models within our Building Information Modelling(BIM)framework for tunnelling.This approach allows for near real-time assessment of structural damage induced by settlements with consideration of soil-structure interaction and non-linear material behaviour.Furthermore,because this approach is implemented on a BIM platform for tunnelling,first,the design can be optimised directly in the design environment,thus eliminating errors in data exchange between designers and computational analysts.Secondly,the effect of tunnelling on existing structures can be effectively visualised within the BIM by producing risk-maps and visualising the scaled deformation field,which allows for a more intuitive understanding of design actions and for collaborative design.Having a fully parametric design model and real-time predictions therefore enables the assessment and visualisation of tunneling-induced damage for large tunnel sections and multiple structures in an effective and computationally efficient way.

Integrating Virtual Reality and Energy Analysis with BIM to Optimize Window-to-Wall Ratio and Building’s Orientation for Age-in-Place Design at the Conceptual Stage

This study unfolds an innovative approach aiming to address the critical role of building design in global energy consumption, focusing on optimizing the Window-to-Wall Ratio (WWR), since buildings account for approximately 30% of total energy consumed worldwide. The greatest contributors to energy expenditure in buildings are internal artificial lighting and heating and cooling systems. The WWR, determined by the proportion of the building’s glazed area to its wall area, is a significant factor influencing energy efficiency and minimizing energy load. This study introduces the development of a semi-automated computer model designed to offer a real-time, interactive simulation environment, fostering improving communication and engagement between designers and owners. The said model serves to optimize both the WWR and building orientation to align with occupants’ needs and expectations, subsequently reducing annual energy consumption and enhancing the overall building energy performance. The integrated model incorporates Building Information Modeling (BIM), Virtual Reality (VR), and Energy Analysis tools deployed at the conceptual design stage, allowing for the amalgamation of owners’ inputs in the design process and facilitating the creation of more realistic and effective design strategies.

Construction Process Simulation and Safety Analysis Based on Building Information Model and 4D Technology

Time-dependent structure analysis theory has been proved to be more accurate and reliable compared to commonly used methods during construction. However, so far applications are limited to partial period and part of the structure because of immeasurable artificial intervention. Based on the building informa-tion model (BIM) and four-dimensional (4D) technology, this paper proposes an improves structure analysis method, which can generate structural geometry, resistance model, and loading conditions automatically by a close interlink of the schedule information, architectural model, and material properties. The method was applied to a safety analysis during a continuous and dynamic simulation of the entire construction process. The results show that the organic combination of the BIM, 4D technology, construction simulation, and safety analysis of time-dependent structures is feasible and practical. This research also lays a foundation for further researches on building lifecycle management by combining architectural design, structure analysis, and construction management.

Impacts of building information modeling(BIM) implementation on design and construction performance: a resource dependence theory perspective

Drawing on resource dependence theory, this paper develops and empirically tests a model for understanding how the implementation of building information modeling(BIM) in construction projects impacts the performance of different project participating organizations through improving their interorganizational collaboration capabilities. Based on two sets of survey data collected from designers and general contractors in BIMbased construction projects in China, the results from partial least squares analysis and bootstrapping mediation test provide clear evidence that BIM-enabled capabilities of information sharing and collaborative decision-making as a whole play a significant role in determining BIMenabled efficiency and effectiveness benefits for both designers and general contractors. The results further reveal that designers and general contractors benefit from project BIM implementation activities significantly nonequivalently, and that this non-equivalence closely relates to the different roles played by designers and general contractors in BIM-enabled interorganizational resource exchange processes. The findings validate the resource dependence theory perspective of BIM as a boundary spanning tool to manage interorganizational resource dependence in construction projects, and contribute todeepened understandings of how and why project participating organizations benefit differently from the implementation of interorganizational information technologies like BIM.

Immersive virtual reality for extending the potential of building information modeling in architecture,engineering,and construction sector:systematic review

The field of architecture,engineering,and construction(AEC)is continually striving to use resources efficiently and manage complex processes.Now more than ever,there is a strong need for digital transformation in AEC.The improvement in the accessibility of consumer-based head-mounted displays(HMD)is attracting different entertainment and research fields to immersive virtual reality(VR)applications.Building Information Modeling(BIM)is known as a promising technology in AEC.The full potential of BIM is not yet employed to empower this field,however,and this could be a result of some barriers still to be surmounted by BIM in both technological and management perspectives.One of these barriers is the communication and collaboration between design,construction,operation,and maintenance phases.VR can fill this gap by providing additional capabilities for BIM which either were not available before or were not possible to employ in practical ways.In this paper,we systematically review recent research around the application of VR in BIM and discuss the results using the PRISMA flowchart.We discuss the most commonly used technologies,software,and evaluation methods and the various applications of VR in the reviewed papers.Finally,we extend the discussion by summarizing the potential future work in this area.

Critical review of studies on building information modeling (BIM) in project management

Building information modeling(BIM) and project management are two major research topics that accommodate large volumes of research efforts. BIM has been interpreted as a process technology that aids in enhancing project management. Hence, the investigation from an interdisciplinary perspective of the two concepts may bring new insights to understanding related research.In this paper, a structural approach is adopted in reviewing BIM studies in project management from 2005 to 2017 within identified target journals. This review aims to classify the major research directions and topics for BIM research in project management. Moreover, given BIM's potential for application in project management, this paper attempts to establish a fundamental research foundation for a new paradigm of project management that incorporates BIM, namely, BIM-based project management. The preliminary result suggests that BIM research in project management develops drastically in the examined duration. The research directions of BIM studies in project management include enabling BIM as a technology in project management; BIM application as a solution for specific project management scopes; integration issues of BIM that have been brought to project management;institutional environment and regulatory governance of BIM in realizing project management strategies; and analysis of effects and strategies of BIM adoption and implementation in projects. The directions and trends are then analyzed to develop a research route for BIM studies in project management. Finally, conclusions focus on the relations of the research directions, as well as the contributions and theoretical implications of this review.Future research areas are also recommended.

Simulation Research on Fire Evacuation of Large Public Buildings Based on Building Information Modeling

Reasonable evacuation strategies are important in reducing casualties in the event of a fire.In this work,we conduct a simulation of a fire evacuation of a large public building based on the building information modeling technology to find the best evacuation strategy.We identify the tolerance limit of evacuees in case of a fire as the basis of the simulation using the fire dynamics simulator software.The following four evacuation strategies are proposed and simulated:stratified evacuation only by stairs,stratified evacuation mainly by stairs and supplemented by fire elevators,holistic evacuation only by stairs,and holistic evacuation mainly by stairs and supplemented by fire elevators.The case study of a college canteen shows that if 10%of evacuees(mainly elderly people who walk slowly and children who take up less space)are instructed to evacuate via fire elevators and the other 90%of evacuees(young men and women who move fast)use the stairs,the evacuation time can be reduced to a minimum.Some improvements in the design drawing result in the enhanced efficiency of the proposed strategy.The findings of this work are of great significance for the optimization of the structural design of large public buildings and provide some references for emergency evacuation.

Proposed Methodology for Generation of Building Information Model with Laserscanning

For refurbishment and state review of an existing old building, a new model reflecting the current state is often required especially when the original plans are no longer accessible. Laser scanners are used more and more as surveying instruments for various applications because of their high-precision scanning abilities. For buildings, the most notable and widely accepted product data model is the IFC product data model. It is designed to cover the whole lifecycle and supported by various software vendors and enables applications to efficiently share and exchange project information. The models obtained with the laser scanner, normally sets of points ('point cloud'), have to be transferred to an IFC compatible building information model to serve the needs of different planning states. This paper presents an approach designed by the German Research Center in Karlsruhe (Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe) to create an IFC compatible building information model from laser range images. The methodology through the entire process from data acquisition to the IFC compatible product model was proposed in this paper. In addition, IFC-Models with different level of detail (LoDs) were introduced and discussed within the work.

Model server enabled management of collaborative changes in building information models

The issues and challenges involved in controlling the collaborative changes in a Building Information Modeling(BIM) data repository, in a multi-model collaboration environment, are discussed. It is suggested that managing iterative changes in BIMs is a database problem, exacerbated by the long transaction times needed to support collaborative design progression. This is yet to be resolved in the construction industry and better solutions are needed to support the underlying workflows and computing operations for seamless collaboration on BIMs. With this in mind, this paper proposes the use of the structural and semantic characteristics of BIM objects as a mechanism for tracking changes across co-developed solutions. The creation of object signatures, using hash codes derived from their characteristics, provides a potential mechanism for object comparison and effective change recognition and management.